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G. A. SCHNEEBELI.

GRSET WAIST.

No. 581,832. l Patented May 4, 1897.

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No. 581,832. Patented May 4,1897.

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UNITE STATES GUSTAF ADOLPI-I SCIAINEEBELI, OF NAZARETH, PENNSYLVANIA.

l CORSET-WAIST.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 581,832, dated May 4, 1897. Application filed December Z4, 1896. Serial No. 616,850. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GUSTAF ADOLPH SCHNEEBELI, of Nazareth, Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corset-llfaists, whereof the following is a specilication, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

In said drawings, Figure l represents a three-quarter front view in perspective of the corset as worn, and Fig. 2 a similar rear view thereof. Fig. 3 is a view in elevation of the interior of the corset represented as opened out into a flat position.

The main fabric A of the corset is composed of an integrally-knit web, preferably of a varying stitch, the upper and lower portions a a', respectively, being knit with a tuckstitch and relatively wide, while the intervening or waist portion ce2 is knit with a plain stitch and relatively narrowed in the manner which is usual in many similar garments where it is desired to approximately shape the web by the use of different kinds of stitches. In using the term plain stitch,77 as above, I of course do not mean to exclude a ribbed fabric, but only employ the term to distinguish this narrowed portion of the web from the portions which are relatively widened, by reason of the employment of tuck-stitches or similar expedients, for obtaining the desired configuration.

The body of the corset is preferably open at the front and provided with facing-pieces B B', having buttons or other securing devices Z), one of said facing-pieces comprising an elongated casing to hold a stiffening-strip C, of thin steel or other suitable material.

At the back of the corset, and preferably extending substantially the whole -vertical height thereof, at or near the middle, is secured a'piece D, of relatively inelastic material, such as drilling, which is stitched fast at its edges to the web of the body and which comprises elongated casings for as many stiffening-strips d as may be considered desirable. In theinstance shown three such strips are used, one of them being represented as partially withdrawn in Fig. 3.

At points approximately beneath the armholes A', but preferably a little to the rear thereof, I arrange on each side relatively short and inelastic pieces E E', respectively, each of which comprises acasiug to contain a stiffening-strip e or e' of proper length. These pieces E E' are secured at their edges to the web of the body.

Adjacent to the edges of the opening down the front of the body are placed on each side relatively short and wide inelastic pieces F F', respectively, whose upper ends substantially coincide with the upper limit of the narrowed web a2 and each comprising, preferably, two elongated casin gs to contain stift'- euing-stri-ps ff'. The pieces F F' are secured along their top and bottom edges to the web of the body, as indicated by the lines of stitches at G G and G' G', and the side edges are similarly secured to the web down to points indicated at g g', which substantially coincide with the lower limit of the narrowed web d2, from which points downward the edges are free or not rigidly secured to the web until the bottom edge of the pieces are reached.

As shown in the drawings, the casings in the several pieces B', D, E E', and F F' are made with openings near the top to permit the removal of the stiffening-strips when the garment is to be washed or when for other reasons it is desirable. This method of construction being common in such garments it is of course not claimed, but it is adverted to as a desirable feature of construction.

I have specified the use of relatively inelast-ic material for said pieces, which comprise the casings for the stiifening-strips and prefer to use drilling for this purpose, but I do not limit myself to an absolutely-unyielding fabric, the important feature for the purposes of my invention being that it is substantially less elastic in a lateral direction than the web proper of the body; and I use the term intween these are relatively short and stiffened' inelastic portions preferably distributed, as indicated, below the general region of the armholes and in the front portio'ns of the waist. The wider of these inelastic portions near the front of the waist terminate upward IOO at the upper limit of the narrowed web or waist of the body and are so applied as to limit the lateral restraint due to their inelastic character to such narrowed web or Waist, while the stittening in a vertical direction due to their inserted strips is effected throughout their whole length. Consequently it will be seen that the web of the body in addition to being shaped by the use of different forms of knitting-loops has its lateral elasticity locally restrained in certain specified regions-that is to say, the portions adjacent to the armholes and at the bust are not only largest, but are the most completely elastic in the arrangement shown, being only confined at the front and back. Beneath this and in the waist portion or region where the plain stitches themselves tend to reduce the width of the web the greatest lateral restraint of elasticity is also found, the maximum inelastic portions being localized at the front portion of the waist and beneath the bust. Below this region the web itself again widens through'the use of tuck-stitches aud the lateral restraint dueto the inelastic pieces is to a certain extent released by leaving the edge ot the pieces F and F' free below the points g g.

It is found that by the combination above described a close-fitting, yet exceedingly comfortable, garment is provided, which may be termed a neglige corset, the cost being moderate, the weight being very light and specially adapted for use in warm weather, and the article being such that it can be readily washed.

I do not claim a corset constructed of knit web, nor do I claim the use of stay-pieces, broadly; but I of course do not limit my claims to the location of the inelastic pieces in the exact position shown in the drawings, nor to the eXact number of stiffening-strips which the same contain, it being merely desirable that the inelastic portions and the Ystit'ening-strips should be distributed in substantiall y the manner indicated.

Having thus described my invention, I olaiml. The hereinbefore-described corset, consisting of the body formed of integral knit web narrowed at the waist and widened above and below the waist portion, of laterally-inelastic pieces at front and back extending substantially the vertical height of the corset, and comprising casings with vertical stiftening-strips, and the laterally-inelastic pieces, E E', extending from the bottom region of the corset upward to a point below the region of Ythe armholes, and the lateral inelastic pieces, F F', extending from the bottom region of the corset to substantially the upper limit of the narrow7 web thereof, said pieces E E' and F F' comprising casings and vertical stiftening-strips, and being arranged respeotively near the sides and at the front of the waist, substantially as set forth.

2. The hereinbefore-described corset, consisting of the body formed of integral knit web narrowed at the waist and widened above and below the waist portion, of laterally-inelastic pieces at front and back extending substantially the vertical height of the corset, and comprising casings with vertical stilfenu ing-strips; and the laterally-inelastic pieces, F F', comprising casings and vertical stiftening-strips, said pieces, F F, being arranged at the front of the waist and the upper edges of said pieces coinciding substantially with the upper limit of the narrowed web of the body, the side edges of said pieces being free from the body substantially below the lower limit of the narrowed web.

G. ADOLPI'I SCHNEEBELI.

Witnesses:

K. A. WERLE, R. M. WATTER. 

